[WATCH] Special court for Modack: Goodwood Prison set to handle ‘kingpin’ trial
A special tronk court is being built as the State prepares to take on alleged underworld kingpin Nafiz Modack for a long list of charges later this year.
Construction of the circuit court was revealed by State prosecutor Greg Wolmarans at the Western Cape High Court on Friday, as Modack and his co-accused made a first appearance.
Heavily-armed gunmen circled the courtroom as the man accused of orchestrating the death of Anti-Gang Unit (AGU) detective lieutenant-colonel Charl Kinnear, and defrauding SARS, appeared for two separate pre-trial hearings.
In the first case referred to as the “SARS matter”, Modack was busted along with his mother Ruwaida, brother Yaseen and several others for allegedly defrauding SARS of R46 million.
On arrival in the dock, Ruwaida, who is accused of managing the fraudulent enterprise from her home in Vanguard Estate, exchanged heartfelt soentjies with her son as other relatives hid their faces from the media.
It was revealed that Modack had not yet secured legal representation for this trial and he blamed it on his lack of access to the legal team, saying Helderstroom Prison was too far away from Cape Town.
He revealed that he will be bringing a special high court application this week to call on the hof to order the Department of Correctional Services to place him in a prison closer to the high court.
In the second matter, Modack appeared with well-known skollies where he faces over 3 000 charges linked to the murder of Kinnear.
Modack complained at length about not being able to access electronic information, saying the prison had forbidden him from having a laptop.
As discussions continued about the possibility of having all the paperwork printed and placed in his prison cell, or for a laptop be brought in, Modack seemed min gespin about the details and had the hele courtroom laging when he told judge Nathan Erasmus: “They can give me Wi-Fi also.”
Addressing the court, Wolmarans told the judge that he had news that may lead to the accused ensuring their legal representation is sorted as the State is ready to go to trial.
“For this particular matter we have earmarked the court at Goodwood Prison for the trial.
“There is a court that is being set up there. The process is near completion.
“They are doing the finishing touches, before the end of October it should be done and dusted.”
Wolmarans explained that there were single cells for those in custody along with consulting rooms.
Both cases were postponed to June 9 for further pre-trials while Modack was warned to get his lawyers on board.
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